Johnny Carson: Heeere's Johnny!

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John William Carson came to be on October 23, 1925, in Corning, Iowa. His mother Ruth was a housewife and his father Homer was the manager of a power company. Carson was raised alongside a brother, Dick, who would grow up to become a director for the game show Wheel of Fortune .

When Johnny was 8 years old, the Carson family relocated to Norfolk, Nebraska. Even in his childhood Carson was interested in performing, and at the age of 12 he ordered a magic kit from a catalog. Two years later, "The Great Carsoni" was doing shows at local fraternal lodges.

Entertainment took a backseat after Carson's high school graduation in 1943, when he joined the U.S. Navy to fight in the war aboard the USS Pennsylvania. His service ended in 1946, allowing him to enroll at the University of Nebraska. He graduated in 1949 with a degree in radio and speech, and with a minor in physics.

Carson immediately put his diploma to work, spending a year working at a local radio station. The state of Nebraska was too small for Carson's ambitions, however, and he moved to Los Angeles in 1951. He became the host of a comedy show, Carson's Cellar , hosted by the KNXT television station, which he ran with for two years.

Famous comedian Red Skelton was a fan of the program, and, in 1953, he invited Carson to be a writer on his show. Having worked so hard to get to this point, chance took over. One day in 1954, Skelton fell unconscious just before the show went on the air. Carson had no choice but to fill in as host.

Just like that, Carson had found his calling, and as much was evident to anyone who watched him. TV executives certainly recognized his star power, and Carson accepted their invitations to host a variety of shows throughout the 1950s. Some of his gigs included The Morning Show and the game shows Who Do You Trust? and Earn Your Vacation .

the tonight show

Carson filled in for Jack Paar as a guest host on The Tonight Show on a few occasions during this time. When Paar's politics became a liability for his employer, NBC, he was fired. Carson became The Tonight Show 's new host.

Carson moved to New York City, where he took on his new role on October 2, 1962. He co-wrote the show's new theme song (with the help of Paul Anka) and his first guest was Groucho Marx.

The show quickly fell into step. Every night, sidekick Ed McMahon would introduce the host by shouting "Heeere's Johnny!", Carson would do his monologue, and then conduct interviews with both celebrities and everyday oddballs.

Carson won viewers with his Midwestern charm, and his quick wit was showcased in improvisational skits featuring characters such as Carnac the Magnificent and Art Fern. He was also great at recovering from failed jokes, often employing his time-tested strategy of dancing by himself as the band played "Tea for Two."